Common Bonds
by achildofthestars
Summary: BonesHouse crossover fic. Brennan gets the same symptoms as a guy her and Booth arrested months ago. House becomes her doctor, but can he find out what's wrong? Finale!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: hey guys. i've been wanting to do a house/bones crossover for a long time, and i think i have a good enough to try it. so, please review and tell me what you think. thanks.**

The Diner

"Yeah…yeah…okay…when…really…what? No…no…of course not…where is he? Uh-huh…."

She sipped her water and rolled her eyebrows before pointing at her wristwatch and he shook his head while momentarily taking the pen off of his notepad. Dr. Temperance Brennan sighed before reaching into her purse to find her Tylenol.

"You okay, Bones?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I've been running a fever. So, what was that about?"

FBI agent Seeley Booth shook his head before slamming the phone down on the table and grabbing a french fry.

"You remember Jonas Gray? Well, he was rushed to the hospital last week and almost died two days ago."

"What's wrong with him?"

"They don't know. They rushed him to," he looked down at his notes, "Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching hospital in Jersey."

"Why there?"

"Apparently, they've got some genius hot shot doctor who thinks he can solve the case. You sure you're feeling okay? Look a little pale."

"I'm fine, Booth."

"Maybe you should stay home."

"I'm _fine, _you don't have to worry. I'm not a child, Booth."

"Okay, you know what?" He raised his hands in defeat. "Fine, but when you get sick, don't come crawling to me when you've got snotty tissues laying around. You haven't even touched your fries, or mine either."

The dramatic change in topic confused her for a minute.

"I thought you didn't care."

"I don't. I just made an observation about your eating habits and how it points to you being sick."

"So?"

"So," he raised his eyebrows, "usually you've already chowed both of ours down before I can blink."

She shook her head and held her hand to her stomach.

"I'm just catching a bug or something. What's going to happen to him?"

"Who?"

"Jonas Gray."

"I don't know." He paused and wiped his hands in the napkin. "I really don't know. He just went to court a month and a half ago, been in prison, now he's sick. He might be using it as a way to escape."

"You don't believe that."

"So what if I don't. It's 'logical' as you like to- Bones! Bones!"

Booth jumped from his seat as Brennan's body seemed to slip slowly to the floor. He reached her before she fell to the floor and held her close to him.

"Somebody call an ambulance! Now!"

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Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital

"You do know that _someday_ Cuddy will catch you."

Gregory House looked at James Wilson before tossing a potato chip into his mouth.

"Aw, is wittle Wilson afraid of evil mommy?"

"Hey, I'm not the one hiding out in Pediatrics."

"I'm not hiding. I'm working on a case."

"And it involves Paris Hilton's latest fling?"

"Uh, no. Gawsh, where have you been? It's all about the going commando and getting out of cars for reporters."

House rolled his eyes at Wilson before looking at the magazine again.

"Again, this has nothing to do with your new case."

He reached for the potato chip bag that sat between them and took a few to eat on.

"Are you really going to ignore me?"

Again, he waited.

"You do know that eventually you will have acknowledge I exist. I do pay for your lunches. Plus, you love me. So…."

"14 ways to satisfy your man on Valentine's Day! Hey Wilson, we've already tried eight of these!"

"House! Shut up!" Wilson snatched the magazine from House's hands before turning a smile to a few of the nurses that had looked their way.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Of course it was."

"Really? How is that?"

Before House could answer, his pager went off. He took a curious look at it before reaching for his cane and standing up.

"What's wrong?"

"Cameron found out about us. I'm sorry Wilson, but there is only so much you can do for me. Cameron…well, she's got the whole breast thing going on, plus she's got such a nice ass…though yours ain't so bad either."

"Whatever, just go…do whatever you do," Wilson said resignedly before opening the magazine and reaching into the bag for another chip.

"Hey, mine," House whined as he grabbed the bag from Wilson's lap and limped his way down the corridor to the elevators.

Wilson sighed and shook his head before noticing some of the looks being thrown his way from the few people in the lobby.

"He's uh…we're not…I'm not…I'm just going to…yeah." He stood and followed behind House waiting impatiently as the elevator doors opened.

"Can't get enough of me can you?"

"You know what House? I don't even think you can get enough of you."

"So true, Jimmy."

Inside the elevator, Wilson checked his watch. "So, what's happening?"

"New patient."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's exhibiting the same symptoms as the soldier gone wild."

"That's not good."

"Way to state the obvious. You're not really a doctor are you?"

The elevator doors opened and House limped hurriedly out to make his way into the diagnostic's office.

"Temperance Brennan was admitted thirty minutes ago."

Allison Cameron looked up from where she stood at the whiteboard as she spoke.

"It may not be anything but it sure looks like what Jonas has."

"Jonas?" House accepted the marker she handed to him and looked at the board.

"The ex soldier who slashed his wife," Robert Chase said before Eric Foreman and Cameron both glared at him.

"What? It's the truth?"

"That aside," House interrupted, "what else do they have in common?"

"She was one of the arresting officers," said a deep voice from the doorway.

The four doctors turned to the man in his wrinkled clothes.

"Who are you?" Foreman asked from the table.

"Special Agent Booth. She's my partner. She was there when I arrested Jonas Gray."

"Oh snap. We've got the fuzz here. Quick, Foreman, look white and innocent!"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: wow, thanks for such positive reviews guys :) made me so happy esp after how worried about it i was. soo...this is just filler really, and it's not that great i think, but we've got to get through it at some point at least. and go house and bones for being renewed for another season!!!!**

"You really can't be expecting me to do this."

"Uh, yeah I can and I _do_."

Lisa Cuddy pointed her finger at him.

"This is the federal government, House. You will do your job, like a _normal_ doctor, and you will cooperate fully with Agent Booth."

House scoffed and shook his head.

"First of all, do you know who you're talking too? I am anything but normal. I don't cooperate with _anyone_. And I won't be babysat by some dumb cop!"

"Do you know how much this would help the hospital?"

"Screw the damn hospital! Get the cop out of my office!"

"Do you do anything but yell?"

Cuddy sighed frustrated as House turned around to face Booth, who had silently made his entrance into Cuddy's office.

"Do you do anything but ask stupid questions?"

"I thought doctors had good bedside manners?"

House raised his eyebrows, turned in a slow circle and began looking around the room.

"What are you doing, House?" Cuddy muttered.

"I'm looking for beds, but…"he sighed loudly and raised his shoulders, "I don't see any."

"Dr. House, if you have anything you want to tell me, why don't you just say it?"

"Ohh. Ohh," House laughed as he limped forward, "you heard him Cuddy. He said it, so-."

Without any hesitation, Cuddy jumped from her chair and nearly shoved House into the chair in front of her desk and stood in front of him so he was cut off from Booth.

"Agent Booth, I would like to apologize for Dr. House. He's suffering from a mental condition of which there is no known cure. It's called Miserable, Angry, Cry Baby, Syndrome. He _will_ keep you in the loop about your partner, and he _will_ be nice to her."

"She's talking out of her ass. Trust me. I can see her _lips_ moving from here."

A glare was all she gave him as she moved to sit behind her desk again.

"Dr. House, I believe you have two patients to diagnose. So, go and do your job. And clinic duty can wait until you solve these cases."

'Oooh, that was very underhanded,' he thought, but it worked.

"Fine," House pouted as he stood. "Come on Phonebooth, let's go cure some sick people."

"That's Agent Booth, Dr. House."

"What are you going to do? Trip me?" House smiled as he limped through the doors without looking back.

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"Okay, Ms. Brennan, is there anything else you can think of?"

Brennan shook her head and turned her head to where Foreman was drawing more blood.

"Why do you need so much blood?"

"We're just making sure the tests are correct, Ms. Brennan."

"Just call me Brennan. I hate being a _miss._"

Foreman smiled and nodded his head.

"I know. Every time someone calls me _Mr._ Foreman, I look for my father."

She picked at her sheet and turned her head. She watched as he noted her vitals and handed her the remote control to the t.v.

"I noticed you haven't turned it on."

"I don't watch it to be honest. My last t.v. broke."

"Well, this one is fairly sturdy I think."

"How's Jonas? Can you tell me?"

Foreman sighed before sitting down on the stool beside her bed.

"He's stable. We're controlling the fever. We've got him on pain meds for the myalgia and abdominal pains. He's lost more than ten pounds in the past three weeks, so we're making sure he has all the essential nutrients in his system."

"How am I compared to him?"

"At this point, we aren't even sure if the two cases are related, Brennan. Fevers and abdominal pain along with syncope could be a range of disorders. But we should find out sometime later today when we get the test results back."

Brennan nodded her head and leaned back, her head starting to ache.

"One of us will come check up on you in another hour or so."

"What about Dr. House? When does he want to see me?"

He stopped before sliding the door open and turned around.

"I wouldn't count on seeing House around anytime soon. He rarely sees any of patients if he can help it."

"Well, how can he even know what's wrong with me without seeing me?"

"That's House. All he needs are the tests."

Brennan tilted her head, "Like all I need to see are bones, I suppose?"

"Yeah, something like that."

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Booth fingered the poker chip in his hand one more time from where he sat in House's office, watching the doctor. He suppressed a sigh, looking around the office. He hadn't expected to see an office where there were balls and knickknacks lying around, but he also hadn't expected House to be…House.

"Damn it," House muttered and Booth looked his way again.

He had positioned the computer screen so Booth couldn't see what he was doing. If he was going to have the FBI on his back this whole time, then he might as well show him a fun time right?

"Wrong again."

Standing, Booth walked over to the desk.

"What are you doing?"

"Finding the cure for cancer, Boothy."

"What is your problem?"

"My problem?" House scoffed, "What's yours?"

"I just want my partner to get better."

"It would probably help if you were by your girlfriend instead of by me. I mean, my boyfriend's kind of chumpy, but he'd so beat your ass if you tried to steal me. But then again, who wouldn't?"

"You do know you're talking to a federal agent?"

"Uh, no way! You're a fed? You're kidding me? With that muscled figure and those chiseled looks, I figured you were the new Harlequin model. My mistake."

"Why are you insulting me?"

"Are you kidding me? That wasn't an insult. That was a hot complement."

Booth laughed harshly and took a strong step forward so that House had to crane his head to look up from where he was sitting in the chair.

"Listen to me Dr. House. Brennan…she's my bestfriend. She's practically my family. I want to make sure that she gets the best medical attention, and unfortunately, everyone seems to think that you're the best. So, until you find out what's wrong with her, I am going to be on your back, making sure you don't slack off."

"Dude, I'm crippled? You really want to be on my back?"

"House, I've got the results back."

Both men stared at Cameron as she stood there, the files in her hand with one pointed at the man sitting at the computer. She watched them, a bit warily, but knowing House, she figured he was being an ass, like usual. As he grabbed the file, she walked out of his office into the diagnostics room.

House frowned as he flipped quickly through the pages. He stood and reached for his cane before throwing a smile at his now favorite person to annoy.

"Come on, Fuzzy. Watch me in action."

Booth rolled his eyes and let House limp in front of him before turning to look back at the computer screen. Sudoku. This bastard was something else.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:So, this isn't the best, but that's alright. i guess it could be called filler, but it's about the medical aspect of the case now. and you b/b lovers, don't worry, we'll get some b/b in the next chap i think. Oh yeah, i'm not a doctor, don't want to be one, and so here's fair warning when i say i will get some of this med stuff wrong...so yeah...**

**A/N: And another note, thanks to emtyhallway who pointed out some things and so now hopefully after re-reading, i've caught everything...i hope so atleast :)**

Brennan sighed one more time, noting the time on the clock. It had been over an hour since Dr. Foreman had seen her and even longer since Booth had been back to see her. Tired of lying in the hospital bed, she threw off the sheet and went to stand. Her head nearly whirled to the floor as she tried to find her balance and put her hand to her forehead before leaning against the bed.

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Chase watched warily as Booth stood close to the table but didn't make to sit down. Cameron frowned as House grabbed the marker from her hand and motioned for her to sit down at the table. Foreman looked up aggravated from the file as House went to stand in front of him, blocking his view of the white board.

"House, what are you doing? I can't see."

"Don't worry, bro. If he wants you, he'll have to come through me. So quick, hide the pot and pretend you didn't just steal his wallet when he walked past you," House said in a loud whisper. Then louder, "You can't take our Foreman, Agent Fuzzy. He may be a chocolate felon, but-."

"Shut the hell up, House," Foreman said as he stood and walked away from behind House.

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Finally, she could see straight. Brennan took a deep breath and began taking the few steps towards the bathroom. It wasn't as hard as she thought it was going to be, but it wasn't as easy as it should've been. Splashing the cool water on her face, she felt immediate relief. Her temperature must be rising, and with a last splash, she went to step out before her clutching her abdomen.

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"Lymphoma."

"Boothy," House said as he turned his gaze upon him, "do you know why lymphoma is not the correct answer in today's double Jeopardy?"

"I'm not the doctor, doc."

"Ahh, I feel the jealousy and me likey. It's not lymphoma, Chase. What else?"

"Leukemia."

"No way. I just ruled out lymphoma, why would you go to another cancer?"

"Lupus," Cameron interjected, knowing he'd shoot it down anyways.

"When will you duckies learn that it is _never_ lupus?"

"House," Chase said as he closed the file, "All her symptoms point to about thirty different diseases. It could be tuberculosis, yaws, influenza,liver disease…it could be typhoid or malaria for what we know."

"Where's her recent CT Scan?" House looked to Foreman who shook his head.

"We're waiting, House. Do you know how backlogged they are? I was lucky to even get one scheduled for next week, besides we have her other one right here."

"The results are about two weeks old. Do you drink milk two weeks after it's expired? Wait, Chase, don't answer that because I know you don't read numbers. Foreman, do you know how much can happen in two weeks?"

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"Ooohhh," she breathed against the toilet. Her hands were holding her stomach and she tried not to scream as the cramps started again. She was being ripped in half, but she couldn't call for help. Brennan tried to stand, only to find that her legs couldn't hold her. A cold sweat breaking out, she wiped her face, grimacing as the motion meant she had to move.

Taking one deep breath, she managed to stand while holding onto the sink. Just a few more steps to get to the bed and call for help. But her vision went blurry then, and she gasped as she fell to the cold floor, realizing she couldn't breathe.

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"Test for typhoid, malaria, any other tropical disease since she's been to Peru in the past year. And get a CT scan of her liver and spleen so we can see what's really going on."

"What about-."

Cameron's pager went off first, followed by Foreman's, and then Chase's.

"What's wrong? It's not Bones, is it?"

They each looked at House before running out of the room, leaving him and Booth alone.

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He ran down the corridor, trying desperately to find her room but finding himself lost in his panic. Booth ran into a nurse, apologized, and then ran again. As he reached her room, his breath left him as he looked through the glass walls, momentarily forgetting to keep running and stopped in the wide hallway.

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Cameron watched as the monitor stayed in the green straight line before turning back and putting the paddles back onto the chest.

"Wait, right there…it's there. BP's 80 over 50 and rising. Heart rate returning to normal."

Foreman stepped back as a nurse came up and began wiping Jonas's vomit off of the sheets and the bed.

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His heart nearly stopped as he ran into her room and didn't see her on the bed. He turned, finally seeing her slumped on the floor of the bathroom.

"Bones!"

Without even thinking, he ran into the small bathroom and picked up her head off of the floor.

"Bones! Hey, wake up!" He shook her shoulders, trying to get her to open her eyes, but she didn't.

"Help! I need help!"

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"She's okay, Agent Booth."

Booth looked up from where he sat hunched over beside Brennan's bed. She was sleeping now, but she was also breathing now. He listened to the machine beeping, telling him that her heart was still beating before looking back to Cameron.

"What happened?"

"The CT scans from two weeks ago show that they're enlarged, but not enough to be worried about. Now though, it would be safe to assume that one of them is enlarged so much that it caused her to pass out from the pain. Considering she's anemic already, her condition is serious."

She watched as he listened, not really taking it in, but she couldn't blame him.

"What do we do?"

"We'll need to do a CT scan as soon as possible. Right now, we're lowering her fever, giving her antitussives for her cough. Until we know the complete damage done to her liver, we might have to force feed her because she can't keep anything down on her own."

He nodded his head before asking about Jonas.

"We stabilized him."

"Do you think she has what he has?"

Cameron blinked, not sure if she would answer him.

"We can't be sure, Agent Booth. Right now, the symptoms are only similar, but the symptoms could suggest many types of disorders."

"In your opinion, as a doctor, do you think they're connected?"

"I…I would say there's a high probability."

His gaze wandered back to Brennan and Cameron wondered if they were more than partners. She turned away, preparing to leave when his voice stopped her.

"Is he...Jonas dying?"

She held onto the doorway, battling within her whether or not to tell him the truth or not. Of course, she would tell him, she should, but the look on his face, the look in his eyes, made her pause. The way he held her hand reminded her of her own self, years ago.

"Don't let the soft and cuddly exterior fool you, but House is the best doctor I've ever known. He doesn't give up."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: and i just finished watching half-wit. amazing. favorite of the season so far, and second fave only to DNR. and bones...i miss my bones...alot. tear anyways, this fic could be angsty, but you know what, it won't. i can't write angst right now, and so be warned, it won't get dark, but it will get kinda serious, but no character deaths cause that's just waaaayyyy beyond agnst right? lol. i just so gave the story away...but i hope you like it to keep reading!**

"Booth, I'm fine. Quit worrying."

Brennan swapped his hand that had been trying to hold the tissue to her bleeding nose. She tilted her head down, pressing the tissue up to her nose and trying to ignore his shifty hands.

"No, you've got to lift your face up," he said gently holding her head and trying to position her to his words.

She sighed before turning to glare at him. "There's a higher chance of me drowning me in my own blood by leaning my head back than if I just lean forward and let the blood come out."

"Fuzzy, you know she's right don't you?"

They both turned to face House leaning on his cane holding her file.

"Who are you?"

"That would be," Booth turned back to her, "the infamous Dr. House."

"Aw shucks, Fuzzy. That was such a nice intro. I think that made me blush."

Booth forced a smile before looking up to see Brennan trying to reach for another tissue. He leaned forward, grabbed one, and pressed it gently into her blind hands.

House watched this with interest. It looked like he had some competition when it came to the Agent, and he stored this away for their next tryst.

"And I guess that makes you," he laid the file on the stand at the foot of the medical bed, "_Dr_. Brennan? Really? Doctor?"

"Yes," Brennan said through her mouth. "I have a PhD in forensic anthropology."

House raised his eyebrows, "Wow! Neat-o. I only went to medical school and trained in specialties for over ten years. Now you go to some college community school and you get to be a doctor. I so should've gone the same route."

"I went to Northwestern. I'm not a doctor in the sense of being a medical doctor, but getting a doctorate degree does technically make me a doctor."

"So people actually call you 'Dr. Brennan?'"

"Yes. Why wouldn't they?"

"Well, you're not really a doctor."

"Just because I don't operate under the usual connotation of the word, doesn't mean I shouldn't be called a doctor."

"Have you ever saved a life?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then. Have you ever sliced someone open?"

"Yes."

"Well, then," House put his finger to his lips as if in deep thought. "Have you ever been in an operating room, stuck your hands in some guys abdominal cavity, and ran your hands over his small intestines?"

Brennan changed tissues, "No, but I'm not that kind of doctor."

"Ah yes, you doctor bones, don't you? Nurse them back to health?"

"I'm assuming you mean that in a sarcastic way of demeaning my profession based solely on the fact that I am called a doctor. Which I have to say, is the way a male responds when he feels as if he must assure himself of his position."

House looked to Booth. "I heard something about clowns in Reno. What'd you hear?"

"Sarcasm comes very second nature to you doesn't it?"

"Nope, it's my first nature."

"You're using your cane in the wrong hand."

"So?"

"Using the cane inappropriately narrows your base margin, giving you less control. I'm assuming you've altered your hand swinging movements considering normally, our hands and legs swing at opposite sides at opposite times. Your posture tells me you're already showing signs of-."

"Okay, Bone lady, I get it. You're rainwoman."

"Why am I a rainwoman?"

"Bones, just don't worry about it. House, what do you want?"

"_Dr._ Brennan, your CT scans came back earlier. It appears your spleen and liver are excessively enlarged. This could mean many things, but mostly, it means I need a biopsy of both."

"Fine."

"How many nosebleeds does this make?"

"Three," Booth said without hesitation.

House stared at Brennan as she pulled the red stained tissue away from her face.

"This is the fourth since I've woken up."

"What?"

"Booth, you weren't here for the first-."

"You didn't tell me!"

"Why should I have? It wasn't serious."

"How do you know?"

"Nose bleeds aren't medically life threatening."

"Okay, Luke, Laura, cool down."

"I don't-."

Brennan froze in mid sentence, her face suddenly paling. She leaned back onto her pillow with a hand on her stomach.

"Bones?" Booth stood with a glance at House.

"Hey, Bones!?"

She closed her eyes, fighting the sudden bout of nausea, but when she felt her stomach contract, it was too much. Brennan flailed her arm out for the emesis bowl and promptly expelled the contents of her nearly empty stomach. Pulling her hair away, she glanced at the bowl before turning back to House.

"You haven't done that before?"

"No," she replied weakly as a nurse came into the room and Booth grabbed a tissue. He reached up to her mouth, cautiously wiping at the blood around her lips, before her hand stopped him and took over the motion.

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"Pancytopenia, leukopenia, with hypergammaglobinemia, nose bleeds, abdominal pain, hematemesis, cough, fever, malaise, cachexia. Go."

"Tests still point to Leukemia or lymphoma."

"Could be systemic lupus erythematosis."

"Bacterial endocarditis."

House tapped the marker against the whiteboard. Two days and nothing. Tests came back negative, some positive, nothing definitive.

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"No, I will not bring you your file of the Malcomb Case."

"I need something to keep me busy."

"Well, do what normal people do. Watch t.v."

Brennan scoffed as he held up the remote to her. "I would rather be caught up on all my paper work. Do you know I've missed four days of work since I've been here? I can't get behind."

"Bones, the Jeffersonian is not going to fall apart if you don't do your paperwork. You're sick and I want you resting and rotting your mind."

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"God, for a man with a wooden cane, you are eerily quiet."

Cameron leaned over the counter to pick up her pen that she'd let roll out of her fingers as House had come up behind her.

"God says, 'I know.' Turns you on doesn't it?"

"Yes, take me right here on this counter in front of all these patients. Jonas' condition has gotten worse. His abdomen has extended due to hepatosplenomegaly, he's lost nearly half of his body weight in the past two months with fifteen of those coming from when he was admitted here. CBC is down, way down, everything is down. He's going to need blood transfusions soon, and I'm not betting he's going to need a liver."

"Oh, soldier slasher, yeah. What about Fuzzy's girl?"

"Who? House, Agent Booth's partner is Ms. Brennan and she's not his girl."

"From what she told me, it's _Dr_. Brennan."

"Wait. You actually talked to her?"

"Of course I did. I love my patients. I breathe my patients."

"Sure you do. _Dr._ Brennan's blood count is below normal, but not deathly alerting. Haven't got the results of the liver and spleen biopsy. Scratch tests for allergies were all negative. Wilson said no to Leukemia though leukopenia is a yes, so we're upping her antibiotics-."

"Okay, anything interesting?"

"Sorry to bore you with actual results House. No, nothing else."

"All you had to say, Cameron. Oh, and how about fifty on Bone Whisperer and Agent Fuzz?"

"I am not going to make a bet on a patient's relationship…again."

"Chicken? Bawwk bawwk bawwk bakaw!"

"He said they were partners, she said they were partners."

"Exactly, they both said it which means it's not true."

"You have such a twisted logic."

"Okay, fifty and ten hours of clinic duty?"

Cameron waited a beat, fighting the smile, "Be ready to wear my nametag."

**A/N: so you can review...even though i won't be alerted...cause the system's cracked out i guess for a little while. but whatever right. I'm going to state the obvious...you want to review me. lol. oh yeah, i'm hoping i get this done in less than 10 chaps and i'm hoping i can stick to it cause that would just be way too long. so now, for good, see ya.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, I got this written sooner than I thought I would have. So, without a long wait, let's get chapter five going...**

His eyes opened slowly before taking in the bright room. With a groan, Jonas Gray, closed his eyes again, his body suddenly cold. A chill went through him and he brought the hospital blanket over to his chin. For a few seconds, his teeth started rattling and he had the vague sensation of someone walking into the room.

"Mr. Gray?" Foreman walked over, checking the monitors for his vitals and finally putting a hand to Jonas' forehead. His temperature had spiked to 102 from what the small window on the monitor said.

"I…don't feel so good," Jonas whispered as he grabbed his abdomen, still shaking, and his nose starting to bleed.

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"He's losing weight too fast. Even on the IV we can't keep it sustained. His temp spiked this morning, epistaxis occurred, he had the chills and his malaise is worsening."

Foreman sighed as he tapped the file. "His erythrocytes are declining every day. His leukocytes are so low that if anyone even thinks about sneezing he's going to be sick enough to get pneumonia. Hemoglobin production is downhill too."

House slammed his hand on his desk.

"Damn, Foreman! You just killed me!"

"House! The guy is on his last legs! What the hell have you been doing while we're trying to save his life!?"

"I've been trying to beat this game's ass!"

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"Is Booth back yet?"

Cameron had to strain her ears to hear Brennan's question. She turned Brennan back on her back before checking for swollen lymph glands around her neck.

"I don't think so, Dr. Brennan. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Brennan sucked for her breath. "What time is it?"

"It's seven fifteen. What time did he leave?"

"Around eight. He said I should watch TV and rot my brain, which isn't physically possible."

"No, if it was, Dr. House's brain would be completely shot."

She couldn't manage a laugh, her body and mind were so tired, but she managed to shake her shoulders just a little bit to convey her laughter.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"What's wrong with me?"

Foreman finished changing the IV before looking back at the frail and gaunt Jonas.

"Right now, we're not sure."

Jonas watched as the doctor started writing in the file.

"You don't like me, do you?"

"You're my patient."

"That," he choked on his breath, "doesn't mean you like me. Why?"

Foreman sighed, glancing through the glass walls at the nurse's desk where two police men were standing guard.

"You killed your wife, Mr. Gray. With no reason, you took someone's life."

Jonas turned his head away, wishing he could cry, but he was too tired even for that.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Hey Bones," Booth whispered as he sat in the chair beside her bed. He watched as her eyes fluttered open and she tried to smile but started coughing instead.

"Don't worry. They gave me medicine," she breathed deep, "to stop the blood," she breathed deep again, "but it's not completely working," she finished as she threw the bloody tissue into the basket on the side table.

Booth frowned, his mind completely focused on his partner. She'd lost more than ten pounds while here. Her body lay limp, even her face limp from exhaustion.

"Zack's taking over your cases for a while. He's already solved one case by himself for us. Ange and Hodgins wanted to celebrate, but he said he'd wait for you."

Brennan tried to smile and raise her hand, but only managed a small quirk of her lips.

"I…knew…he could…do it…Booth."

"Yeah," he whispered as he took her cold hand, "our little squint has grown up."

"Did you," she breathed deep and coughed again, "tell him…good job?"

Booth shook his head as he reached for a tissue and handed it to her hand that kept missing the tissue box beside her.

"Zack and me, we have this beautiful relationship where I ignore him most of the time and he just goes with it. It's our thing."

Even as tired as she was, Brennan rolled her eyes and pointed a finger at him.

"Tell him…he did…a good…job, Booth."

As her small hand fell back to the bed, he couldn't help but feel a part of him break.

"You never miss a chance to tell me what to do, I see. And here I am, just trying to keep you company in this lonely, lonely hospital."

Brennan closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly.

"I tried watching TV…but I found absolutely…nothing on…that would interest…me. But there…was this show…called…Cold Case…Files. It was…interesting…."

"Leave it to you to watch that instead of Simon Cowell."

"I don't…know who…that is."

He smiled before standing to pull the sheet up closer to her chin.

"You look tired. Go ahead and go to sleep."

"I'm not…that tired."

"Yeah, I know you're not. I'm tired though, so I'll let you get some sleep. Okay?"

She sighed, trying to nod her head, before she fell asleep.

Booth heard her breathing lighten and slow, thankful that in sleep she could breathe easily. Softly, he brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead and wrapped it behind her ear. With a soft groan, he sat back down in the chair, never taking his eyes from her.

Cameron delicately slid the door open. Having watched the exchange, she knew she would lose House's bet, but she didn't care.

"She's asleep."

She checked Brennan's vital, silently writing in the file before placing it back on the holder at the end of the bed.

"I should've known something was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Rubbing a hand over his face, he leaned forward on his elbows.

"She's just always working so hard. I just figured," he shrugged his shoulders, still looking at the sleeping Brennan. "I thought she was getting too caught up in her work to eat right. She's like that you know."

He tried a chuckle. "I used to think she only ate if she was me, and that was just because I made her."

Cameron looked at the woman in the bed before looking back to him.

"You can't blame yourself."

"No," he replied sharply. "I knew she was sick when we went to Virginia to arrest Gray. She told me it wasn't serious but I knew. And then, we came back and it got better for a while. I knew she'd started losing weight though. She looked paler, more tired, but she's Bones."

"Agent Booth, we can't say definitively that Dr. Brennan contracted whatever Jonas has. We've tested you and her close friends and no one else is sick."

"That doesn't matter. I should've taken her to the doctor sooner. I should've…."

He trailed off, holding his head in his hands, he couldn't help but feel blame. He blamed himself because he knew her better than anyone else, and he'd failed her. He was supposed to be the one person that would never do that to her, but here he was, the one person who'd failed her when she needed it most.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: And I'm really on a roll. Could it be bc I have a Med Terminology test tomorrow and should be studying...NAH. lol. Oh, and we're in for two more chaps after this one. Really one and then a kind of small follow up, but oh well. Back to Common Bonds.**

* * *

When she woke, she realized it was almost evening. Hadn't it just been evening when she fell asleep? Brennan turned her head, expecting to see Booth in the chair, but saw House sitting playing with some machine.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Roughly eighteen hours."

"What? Eighteen hours. Where's Booth?"

"Boothy went to go get something to eat. Aww, crap."

"What?"

"Bowser just kicked my ass and I didn't save the princess."

"What are you talking about?"

House showed her his gameboy and noticing the dumbfounded look on her face, he scoffed.

"Tell me you know what this is."

"I don't think I've seen one of those before. Shouldn't you be working?"

"What else do you think I'm doing?"

* * *

He said he was going to go eat somewhere. Instead, he'd found his way to Jonas' room and was now watching him through the glass walls. The two guards nodded his way before going back to talking to some nurse. He watched as the man he'd arrested months ago, fought for air and raised a thin hand to wipe at the perspiration on his brow. He was a shadow of the soldier he'd been. He looked like skin and bones, not muscle and brawn. 

Without thinking, he slid open the door and walked to the food of the bed.

"Agent Booth?"

"Jonas Gray."

Jonas blinked before trying to sit straighter, but couldn't. His arms couldn't heft his body anymore. So, he stared at the agent in front of him.

Booth knew a soldier when he saw one, and Jonas still was one. He didn't look away, he sat as straight as he could, his hands at his sides, face intent and focused. But he was a murderer, and that didn't change anything.

"How is…your partner?"

He waited a beat before answering. "Fine."

"Better…than me?"

"Somewhat."

Jonas nodded his head softly before moving to lay limply on his side. His dark hair matted around his once youthful face, was thick with sweat. His hands, once strong and rough, shook violently as he reached for a cup of water to bring to his cracked lips. Putting it back in its place, he closed his eyes.

"Before I die…will you…let me tell…you why?"

He had to strain his ears, and even then, it was the faintest of whispers.

"What makes you think I care?"

"Ever since…I came back…there was no one…who knew what…I went through. No one knows…what kind…of dark…ness happens…in war."

With a sigh, he moved a chair closer to where Jonas was lying on the edge of the bed.

"Fine, I'm listening."

"I had…nightmares. You know where…you're still…there. I could…hear the guns…and the tanks…driving over…the dirt. Even…the wind was…in my ears. I would…wake up with…Marie holding…my face. She wanted…to go see her…sister. Said it…might be…good to see…different place." Jonas wiped his forehead, the exertion of even talking beginning to drain him.

"It worked…for awhile. I didn't…dream and she…thought that…was good. And then…one night I…dreamt about…a raid on…our camp. The…insurgents…tried to…kill us…but we were…well trained. A few of us…saw them coming…but too many were…there. Fought them…with our handguns…but I had…a knife…on me."

Jonas stopped, his tongue suddenly seeming to swell in his mouth, but knowing it was his guilt that wouldn't let him keep going.

"I woke up…and she was…looking at me…with such…fear." It was then that he swallowed harshly to stop his sob, but failed. His shoulders shook painfully and he brushed the few tears that had fallen.

"I didn't…know that I'd…done that…to her. I loved…her, Agent…Booth. But I must…have grabbed…my knife and…thought it was…her."

"You," Booth stopped in his sentence and leaned back in his chair. "You said you blacked out. You didn't tell us you had a dream."

Jonas breathed deep, the raspy noise making him shudder. "Don't…matter. I…killed her. Don't matter."

Booth shook his head. "Post traumatic stress disorder."

"No," Jonas hissed. "Murder."

"I can smell the love in the air. Do you lovebirds want to be alone?"

House leaned against the door jam, his cane tapping continuously.

Booth took one glance at the man lying on the bed before standing and walking over to where House was standing. Instead of stopping, he put a hand on House's shoulder and nearly dragged him into the hallway.

"Hey! Hey! There are cops here! Crippled Brutality! Cameron!"

Cameron merely glanced at Booth cornering House against the wall. "I'm checking on Jonas and you like it rough anyways."

"And I thought she loved me."

"He had PTSD."

"And?"

"Medically, he's insane then. He can't be held accountable for murdering his wife if he had PTSD and was never treated."

"Who killed his wife?"

"Gray."

"And?"

"Can you diagnose him?"

"I still don't know what's wrong with him. Can you possibly lean a little further from me? Wilson might get jealous."

"Listen! Can you diagnose him with PTSD!"

"It's not going to matter if I can't diagnose him with what's killing him in the first place."

"I thought you were the best."

"I am…in more ways than one," he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Booth rolled his eyes and held his breath for a few seconds. "Can you do it?"

"For my Fuzzy? Of course I can."

"House!"

"What?" He turned his head to Cameron who'd just walked back out.

"He's got bruising on both of his lower calves to his feet."

He frowned and moved to follow her back into the room when he felt himself being pulled back.

"Hey! Enough Fuzz! Play time is over."

"Save him. And save her. Please."

House straightened his jacket before moving away again. Before walking into Jonas' room, he turned his head back. "By the way, Bone whisperer is asking for you. And I've only lost one. Doesn't mean these cases are special enough to break my record."

* * *

He gently poked Jonas' calves, noticing the man's unawareness of any pain. 

"What is it?"

"I don't know," he replied in answer to her question. "When was the last time someone checked him?"

"I think Chase and Foreman were here this morning. They didn't say anything. Probably didn't even check since Jonas isn't feeling pain."

Cameron walked around and began to check Jonas' other side to check for any other bruising.

"You know you're going to lose my bet. Fuzzy and Bone whisperer are," he paused to flick Jonas' big toe, "in classic 'I love you but can't tell you' love."

She glanced up and swapped the pen out of his hand that was drawing a smiley face on Jonas' sole.

"Hey!"

"House! This is serious! And you haven't won yet."

"It's a new symptom! That's good. In medicine, we call this progress. And you are so going down. I'm Mike Tyson and your Evander Holyfield. You know how that ends. Wait, that means I bite your ear. No, I'll bite something else."

"You'll bite nothing."

"Oooh, the Punisher, I see."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So i've had this written since Tuesday, but I live out in the boondocks and so dial up connection was pretty much a lost cause for me. But I'm back from spring break and can finally finish this dang story! lol. It ends a little too neatly, but I don't care, I think it just needs to be finished! So, thanks to everyone! You made this story possible! Now...the conclusion of Common Bonds...**

"Cuddy Alert."

"Don't have to worry."

Wilson glanced over at House. "You know, I think I miss the good ol' days when you hid behind plants and under my desk. This is just…creepy."

"You mean Jimmy goody too shoes, wants me to go back to my rogue ways? You think you know someone."

"Good morning Dr. Wilson…Dr. House."

"It is an _excellent_ morning, Dr. Cuddy."

Wilson stifled his laugh while Cuddy raised her eyebrows.

"So nice to see the resident ogre in such a good mood."

"Well, one look at those perky blossoms, and I don't mean the ones _on_ your blouse, and any sane man would be delirious."

Cuddy forced a smile and put her hands on her hips. "House, you are a dog. A dog with fleas that I wish I could throw out, but is too pathetic looking. So, I put you on a leash and let you sniff your own ass all day."

"Well, that was just cruel. I think I'll sic Wilson on you for-."

"What is it?"

House smiled softly, shaking his head, and smacking his cane hardly on the station which captured Nurse Brenda's glare.

"Damn. _Damn_," he said again as he looked skyward. "I solved the cases."

* * *

"Your fever down yet?"

Brennan nodded her head before focusing her attention on the t.v. again.

"Is this really a question?"

"Of course it is. Just because you don't know the answer doesn't mean-."

"That's not why I asked, Booth, so quit laughing. I meant that these questions hardly seem like the type of questions to garner a million dollars."

"Just wait. They do the easy ones first."

"If it's so easy what's the answer?"

"What? It's the uh, Bo and Hope, B. It's gotta be."

"Why?"

"Well, it's the only one I've heard of."

They waited for the man to pick his answer, which was C. Luke and Laura. Booth laughed because it was wrong, Brennan frowned because she had no idea.

"Soap Operas are really this important?"

"For a million dollars, yeah. And…crap how is that right? Who's Luke and Laura?"

"I have no idea but that was worth 500 dollars and you missed it."

"It was about soap operas. I don't watch soaps and you missed it too."

"I have an excuse. I work."

"And I don't?"

"But you're the one always telling me I'm lost, when you are too."

"What? No, I'm not lost. I just have a life."

"I do too."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay, what is Prison Break?"

"It's," Brennan paused, "about a group of people who try to escape from prison."

"Wrong. This season they're on the run and that was a way too easy show for me to pick."

"Ssshh, it's back on."

Booth glanced over at his partner whose eyes were focused on the TV screen.

"I think I've created a monster."

* * *

"When did the soldier get back from Iraq?"

"A little over a year ago."

"And what about Fuzzy's Bones?"

Foreman scoffed before shaking his head. "She came back from Peru eight months ago."

"She make any pit-stops along the way?"

"Actually, yes. There was an emergency in...Brazil where her expertise was needed. Says she stayed there for two days."

"What did she do?"

"Government found a building full of four American bodies, but they couldn't identify them."

"How'd they know they were American?"

"What?"

"How'd they know the dead people were American?"

Cameron started. "I…don't know but does it really matter?"

House shrugged. "Guess not, except for the dead guys. It's visceral leishmaniasis."

"That's not possible, House."

"It's possibly possible. The symptoms match perfectly."

Chase shook his head. "Then why didn't we see any parasites in the spleen aspirates? Or in the liver?"

"Fuzzy's girl was just by chance. We didn't catch it at the right time, too soon, or too late. Which is why, Foreman is going to do another biopsy just in case, a culture for the CDC and an IFAT to confirm without a doubt. Cameron is going to call the CDC. Chase…you can sit there and look stupid, like usual."

"What about Jonas? If he's progressed as far as you think he has, then why didn't his tests come back positive?"

House looked down into Jonas' file and plucked the two pages of test results out and threw them in the trash.

"It's not his. Someone screwed up in the lab."

"It wasn't me!"

"Settle down, Cameron. I know it wasn't you. I walked back there just an hour ago and there's a new tech trainee. I went in there, talked to him, managed to thoroughly botch up about, oh, four tests."

"You did not do that."

"Unclench, Cameron. I told the attending that the tech was doping and so he better redo the tests. Anyways, test the soldier again before he dies and test the _Doctor _before Fuzzy kills me."

* * *

_Four days later_

"_Doctor_ Brennan, so sad to see you leaving."

"You're not sad. You're lying, Dr. House."

"Oh," he waved his hand, "I've already saved you. No need to flatter me."

Brennan glanced over her shoulder to Booth who rolled his eyes.

"Oh, Fuzzy, this means you're leaving too. I think I'm going to cry. Hold me."

House opened his arms and Wilson, who was beside him pretending to look through a clinic file, nearly laughed. He did not think the big, bad, federal agent would go near House, but he did, kind of.

"Dr. House, I can honestly say I won't miss you."

Booth held out his hand and House slowly stepped forward to shake his. They eyed each other. House thought Booth was an okay guy, but not enough like Wilson. Booth thought House was a jerk, but he wasn't horribly awful-just awful.

"So I guess you two lovebirds are going to the CDC together?"

"No. Booth has work to do and I'm more than able to take care of myself."

"You're actually going to let her go by herself?"

"Of course. We're not attached at the hip or anything."

House sighed. It looked like he'd lost Cameron's bet.

"You know you love each other. Come on, kiss right here. Come on come on. Let's let everyone see the show."

Booth and Brennan looked at each other before laughing.

"Ow, don't make me laugh. I still hurt, Dr. House."

"We're not going to kiss, House. We're…buddies, nothing else."

"Dude, she almost died!" He turned to Brennan. "You almost died! You had to realize you loved each other."

"I think you're wrong, Dr. House," Brennan smiled in his face.

* * *

"Who would've thought you were such a romantic?"

House glared at Wilson who promptly shut his mouth but couldn't hold his smile. He turned around to where Cameron had stopped Booth and Brennan in the wheelchair.

"What are they talking about?"

"My superpowers tell me they're talking about how much they love you."

"Can your superpowers tell you what I'm thinking right now?"

"Aw, I missed you too, House. Don't worry, I'll never leave you."

At this, House couldn't help but let a smile cross his face.

"Awww, was Jim Jim jealous of Wouse's new friend?"

Wilson sighed, shaking his head. "I think I was jealous, House. But I should've known you don't know how to make new friends."

"Ouch. But don't worry, Jimmy, you will always be my first love."

"Well, thanks. Let me go knit that on a sweater and wear it."

* * *

Cameron smiled as she walked back inside. It seemed Booth was indeed not going to the CDC with Brennan, but only because she wouldn't let him. And apparently, from the way Booth kept holding Brennan's hand, Cameron was fairly certain that something was stirring.

"House!"

"The Punisher is coming near!"

"Shut up, House." Cameron replied rolling her eyes as Wilson left.

"The trash talk is starting already then? Okay-."

Cameron didn't bother listening to what he said. Instead, she clipped off her name tag and clipped it to his shirt. At his startled gaze, she began to walk off.

"_Dr. Cameron_, you have ten hours of clinic duty to do since you lost the bet. I think you better get to working on it."

House looked down at the tag before extending his cane and blocking her from going any further.

"I didn't lose. They do love each other."

"They're just friends, House. They didn't say they were together. So, go do my clinic hours, Dr. Cameron."

She walked away, smiling, and House slumped against the station.

"Just for your information, don't get jealous because I make this nametag look good!"

* * *

"I don't see why he thought we loved each other."

"Me neither, Bones. Just because we're a man and a woman working together and best friends, everyone just assumes we're together or about to."

"Exactly," she muttered from her wheelchair as he pushed her outside and the two doctors came forward.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?"

"What? No. I'll be fine. Besides, you need to let Zack work with you."

"Ugh, Bones, hurry back. If the Jeffersonian is down by one forensic anthropologist, it is not my fault."

"Booth, be nice to him. He knows what he's doing."

He raised an eyebrow at her, conveying how much he thought Zack knew…about a real life and she shook her head trying to fight her smile.

"You owe me Bones. You owe me big. And when I say 'big' I mean _big_."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Wait, I know now." He smiled before nodding to a nurse who was waiting to take the wheel chair back. Booth helped Brennan stand, and as he held her, couldn't help but notice how weak she'd become.

"You have to make me dinner…or breakfast all by yourself. No help from anyone _and_ you have to get a TV because there is no way I will go into your apartment ever again if you don't."

The last was a lie, it wouldn't stop him. Both knew it and both thought it funny just for that reason.

"I'm not that good of a cook."

"I said _big_."

"Alright then, but I warned you. And I'm not going to have time to go out and buy a t.v. so I guess you'll never come into my apartment."

"Okay, I'll buy you the best TV I see, but you know, on my salary you'll have to pay me back when you get back. I love you Bones, but not that much."

"Yeah I know. Iguess you don't." She smiled as he helped her in even as the doctors kept nagging at him to stop. "But at least I'll get to watch more Millionaire."


End file.
